I would like to start by announcing the winner of Albeit Jewelry International Giveaway. Congrats to Alison from StylingMyLife, hope you love the necklace as much as I do!!!!

Having laid eyes on a pair of wedge sneakers for the first time, I knew right away this was the shoe for me. Comfort, style and my favorite shade of purple, ummm..., yes please! How comfortable are they? Well, I took them on a 5 mile hike to Malibu today and have to report that my feet are still in tact! Other parts of me, not so much cause I'm so rusty, but no purple toes or blisters:)

Gotta say, Emil and I used to go hiking all the time, but over the past year we've become a little lazy, so this was our first proper one in at least a few months. Certainly was an eye opening experience, I pretty much assumed that running a few times a week will keep me in a fairly good shape. Boy was I wrong! The back of my legs was burning as we were walking up a steep heel. By the time we got back to the car we were absolutely exhausted! Naturally we can't wait to do it again, so the plan is to do a 10 mile one next weekend. Let you know how that goes:)

P. S. I've gotten so many emails about these cute bow rings, I though I should talk a little bit about them on the blog. They are from Ily Couture, a brand I absolutely adore and wear all the time. In terms of fit, they are true to size and the glitz bow ring is adjustable, which is pretty convenient! You can find them HERE

Always on the mission to find a pair of great black jeans, I'm so happy I found this studded pair by James Jeans. Most of the time finding a pair of skinny jeans that fit is mission impossible. So you can imagine, how delighted I am to find a pair that not only fits great but also has my beloved studs. You know me, always a sucker for details:) I also really like the quality of the fabric, a nice thick denim, it keeps the shape all day. You know how it is with certain jeans, by the end of the day they just look so sad with those stretched out knees and other parts which we will know mention here:)

In other news, I am so delighted it's finally starting to feel like fall in LA. Don't get me wrong, I love Summer but at the end of the day I am excited to wear things other than shorts and tank tops. Like sweaters, for example:) I am pretty sure I'll be kicking myself for saying this when I look back on these words a couple of weeks from now, when it really starts to get cold:) But for now, I'm on cloud nine:)

P.S. James Jeans is giving VivaLuxury readers 25% OFF anything in the store, simply use Coupon Code JJ020, CLICK HERE to visit their website.

I've been meaning to talk make up for some time now, so I'd like to take this opportunity to talk about some of my current favorites.

FACE: As I have mentioned before, I am not a big fan of foundation, it just makes me feel like I have a mask on. In stead, I like to use blush or bronzer and a face highlighter. This particular one from Chanel in Brume D'or is my current obsession, because it provides really natural color, with just a hint of sparkle. I also love this shimmering powder from Christian Dior. Usually, I mix all shades together with a big brush and apply it on the apples of my cheeks, then use the lightest shade to highlight brow bones and corners of the eyes. This combination really helps to brighten the face without looking like you have a ton of product on.

EYES: I hardly ever wear eye shadow, especially during the day. Most of the time I line the upper eyelid with black eye liner, mostly because my eyes are pretty round so the liner helps to elongate the shape. Right now, I'm a pretty big fan of this Christian Dior one. Stays on all day and doesn't smudge, what else can I ask for:)?

Lips: I've heard a million times that there is a right shade of red for everyone out there. But up until recently I haven't been able to find the right one for me. No matter what I tried it just looked weird, either too dark, or way to bright, basically it just didn't feel like me. By chance, I tried this lip stain by YSL and was pretty impressed with the result, great color, stays on and has a hint of gloss. My day-time favorite at the moment is YSL lipstick in Spicy Pink, really natural, soft-looking shade that has a great staying power.

I suppose the word "natural" keeps coming up whenever I talk about make up. I really am a big believer in beauty products doing what their are supposed to without looking too obvious. So, I think I choose most make up products on the basis of that, red lipstick and black liner of course being the exception:)

Now, here is the best part, FragranceNet.com would like to gift one lucky VivaLuxury reader with a $50.00 Gift Card!

All you have to do is follow FragranceNet.com on Twitter by CLICKING HERE, follow VivaLuxury on Twitter by CLICKING HERE and tweet the following message "Awesome giveaway with @FragranceNet & @Vivaluxury, follow them on Twitter to WIN!"

Also, please leave a comment under this post, so I may contact you if you win! I wish everyone the best of luck!

P.S. Receive 15% OFF your entire order on FragranceNet.com with coupon code FBVD3

Monday, October 22, 2012

Emil and I spent the entire Sunday wondering around one of our favorite Places in LA - Melrose Avenue, doing what we love best: shopping, walking, chatting and dining. Ok, so maybe I like shopping a little more than Emil does, maybe even a lot more. But I have no reason to complain, really, aside from an occasional joke about my shoe addiction, as far as shopping goes he is super supportive and even helps me pick out outfits sometimes:)

Since it's still relatively warm in LA, I can get away with wearing skirts and shorts, which I must admit, I've been doing quite a bit lately. I've been obsessing with this particular one for a while now, seems like it was sold out in all my usual shopping places. By chance, I found it last week, and couldn't be happier I did! Really love the fit and shape, not to mention a great leather skirt is one of those super versatile items that can be worn in endless number of ways. So be prepared to see it a lot:)!

Friday, October 19, 2012

On very rare occasions, on those especially lazy, gloomy days, there is really nothing I love more than to have breakfast in bed while reading one of my favorite books or catching up on my on-line shopping. Normally, my days start very early so I barely have time to grab breakfast on my way out. But on days like this it's all about taking time to enjoy some of my favorites like granola and yogurt parfait, great cup of tea and of course a chocolate chip cookie, like this one from Cooper Avenue.

Another reason I love these days so much is because I get to use this beautiful tea set, which was a present from my grandmother. It's been in my family for more than 50 years, and was given to my grandmother by her mother, my great grand mother. The set was mainly used on special occasions and witnessed many celebrations and important events in my family, which is why it is so precious to me. Every time I use it, I take a trip down the memory lane and cannot help but feel like having breakfast in bed everyday!

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Pendant: via Albeit Jewelry | Top: Maje | Skirt: Asos | Bag: Rebecca Minkoff | Heels: J Crew { different colors here & here } | Bracelets: large pave bracelet via Ily Couture &J Crew { also loving this one } Ever since I wore this necklace on my blog for the very first time, I've been getting at least 1 email a day asking where I got it. And I can completely understand why, this weightless, delicate necklace is surely one of my absolute favorites. So, I thought what better way to show my gratitude for your continued support than to host a giveaway for what is probably one of the most popular items on my blog. So, without further ado, I am beyond ecstatic to partner up with Albeit Jewelry for a brand new International GIVEAWAY! This time, one lucky winner will receive this gorgeous sideways "A" pendant necklace! Good luck, everyone!

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

It's GIVEAWAY time again!!!! This time I'm so excited to partner up with Little Black Bag, a website where you can shop, trade and interact with other fashionistas all at the same time! You start by getting a bag of products, based on your personal style, you select the first item and then Little Black Bag stylists select the rest!

I chose a super cute cross-body bag in tan and bright yellow, and the stylists selected a beautiful bow ring and a pair of studded earrings for me, which I absolutely loved. Guess my weakness for jewelry is pretty obvious:) Once, the stylists selected the remaining items I had to make a decision whether to keep the contents of my bag or trade with others! Not an easy decision to make, believe me:) But I had an absolute blast seeing exactly what the stylists picked for me, going through all the trade offers I received and of course chatting with other fashionistas!

Which brings me to today's INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY! This time, one lucky reader will win this beautiful Linea Pelle zipper shoulder bag!

To ENTER simplyCLICK HERE, and please leave a comment under this post so I may contact you if you win!

Giveaway ends on October 15, 2012 and the winner will be announced on Little Black Bag Facebook page on October 16, 2012. I wish everyone the best of luck!

Spent the whole day with my girls, feels like I haven't seen them for ages. You know how it is, life just gets so hectic sometimes... Anyway, we haven't had a proper girls night out in a while. Well, really more like a shopping day followed by dinner and drinks at one of our favorite places. Since we were going out for dinner later, I felt like dressing up a bit. I've been searching for a pair of tailored white shorts, forever! Plenty of white denim cut-offs out there, yet not so many dressier versions! Well, I got these last week and couldn't be happier. Love the glorious feeling you get when you search for something and then suddenly find exactly what you were looking for. Certainly made my day:) Of course, dinner and drinks with my girls felt like a perfect opportunity to take them out for a spin:)

We had an absolutely fantastic day, didn't end up buying anything important really, mostly because we were so busy chatting the entire time. But then to be honest with you, it's pretty much always like that when we get together. There is never enough time to talk about all the things we want to talk about... Is it like that with you guys too?